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MASTER CONTRACTBETWEENTHE BOARD OF EDUCATIONOF THESCHOOL DISTRICTOF THE CITY OF ERIE, PAAND THEERIE EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONJULY 1, 2019- JUNE 30, 2021Non Discrimination PolicyThe Erie School District does not discriminate in employment, educational programs or activities, basedon race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or because a person is a disabled veteran or veteranof the Vietnam Era. This policy of non-discrimination extends to all other legally protected classifications.Publication of this policy is in accordance with state and federal laws including Title VII of the Civil RightsAct of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Inquiries may be made by contacting Human Resources, ErieSchool District, 148 West 21st Street, Erie, PA 16502 (814) 874·6080
TABLE OF ARTICLEIIIAssociation Rights3ARTICLEIVCompensation and ICLEIXARTICLEXARTICLEXIARTICLEXIIARTICLETeaching Days and Hours11Teaching Conditions14Teaching Conditions for Implementing Public Law 94-14218Teacher Transfers19Leaves and Absences23Parental Leave26Promotions29Fringe Benefits30XIIIGrievance Procedure35ARTICLEXIVMiscellaneous Provisions38ARTICLEXVDuration of the Contract40APPENDIX1Dues Deduction (Authorization Form)41APPENDIX22019-2020 Salary Schedule42APPENDIX32020-2021 Salary Schedule43APPENDIX4Record of Graduate Credits Earned44APPENDIX5-1Coaching Salary Schedule Senior High45APPENDIX5-2Coaching Salary Schedule46APPENDIX6Extra-Curricular Activities Salary Schedule47APPENDIX7Grievance Report48APPENDIX8Memorandum of Agreement Concerning the Interpretation ofArticle IV-G of the Bargaining Agreement50Personal Property Registration Form52Memorandum of Agreement Concerningthe Interpretation of Article IV-B of the Bargaining Agreement53Summary of PPO Benefits54APPENDIX9APPENDIX10APPENDIX11i
APPENDIX12Letter to Retirees57APPENDIX13Summary of Vision Plan Benefits58CONTENT INDEX59ii
MASTER CONTRACT BETWEENTHE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY OF ERIEANDTHE ERIE EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONThis Master Contract entered into by and between the Board of Education of the School Districtof the City of Erie, Pennsylvania, hereinafter sometimes called the “Board,” and the ErieEducation Association, hereinafter sometimes called the “Association.”WITNESSETH:WHEREAS the Board and the Association recognize and declare that providing qualityeducation for the children of the School District of the City of Erie is their mutual aim, andWHEREAS the Board and its designated representatives have met with representatives of theAssociation and entered into extended deliberate negotiations concerning wages, hours, andother terms and conditions of employment, it is hereby agreed as follows:ARTICLE IThe Board and the Association recognize the importance of developing a sound educationalsystem. The Board and the Association agree that they have a respective responsibility andobligation to provide the highest degree of quality education for the people of the City of Erieand affirm their interest to work toward the achievement of such educational excellence.In this regard, the Board and the Association agree that education should be provided from earlychildhood through adulthood, be suited to the needs of the individual, and be offered beyond thetraditional school day and school year.Much of the responsibility to make educational change should be with the teachers through theirinfluence and involvement.The Association agrees to lend its full support to the development and implementation ofprograms for instructional improvement, curriculum development, and in individualization ofinstruction relevant to the needs of the students including experimental and pilot programs andexpansion of vocational education consistent with the terms of this contract.In turn, the Board agrees to involve the Association in the development and implementation ofsuch programs.Page 1
ARTICLE IIRECOGNITIONA. The Board hereby recognizes and will continue to recognize during the term of thisagreement, the Erie Education Association, as the exclusive representative of allprofessional employees to the extent certified in proceedings docketed atNo. PERA-R-10-W with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.B. The rights and privileges of the Association, acting as representative of teachers in thebargaining unit, as set forth in this agreement shall be granted only to the Associationand to no other teacher organization.C. The Association, as exclusive representative of all teachers in the bargaining unit in theSchool District, and the Board shall enjoy all of the rights and privileges granted to themunder the provisions of the Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act as now enactedor hereinafter amended.D. 1) The term teacher, when used hereinafter in the contract, shall refer to all employees inthe bargaining unit as defined in Article II, Section A, herein.2) The terms Board and Association shall include their respective authorized officers,representatives, and agents. Despite references herein to Board and Association as such,each reserves the right to act hereunder by designated representatives.3) The term School District, when used hereinafter in this contract, shall refer to theSchool District of the City of Erie.4) An emergency is a condition or situation which could not have been anticipated.5) Seniority is total length of continuous service with the School District of the City ofErie which shall be computed from the employee’s most recent date of employment.6) A vacancy is defined as a position unencumbered due to a transfer, a death, aresignation, a dismissal, a retirement or due to a position newly created by the Board.Page 2
ARTICLE IIIASSOCIATION RIGHTSA. The Association and its representatives shall be allowed to use school buildings atreasonable hours for meetings with the approval of the Building Principal and inaccordance with established policy and practice.B. 1) Whenever any representative of the Association or any teacher is required toparticipate during working hours in negotiations or grievance proceedings, he/she shallsuffer no loss in pay.2) The President of the Association, or his or her designee, shall be allowed to visitother schools in the School District to investigate teacher complaints. Such visits shall inno way interfere with the regular teaching duties of the President or his or her designee,or the instructional program of the school visited. Upon arrival at the school, suchperson shall notify the Principal or the Acting Administrator of his or her presence andthe purpose of such visit.3) The Association President shall be released from all professional duties without lossof pay or benefits. The Association and District will each bear 50% of the cost of salaryand benefits paid to the first year teacher who replaces the President.4) The Association will be allowed up to forty-five (45) days to be used by itsrepresentatives for attending conventions and/ or seminars. At the discretion of theSuperintendent, additional days may be allowed upon petition by the Association.Persons using these days will be designated by the Executive Board of the Association.Payment for substitute teachers for the first fifteen (15) days described in this item willbe borne by the District. Substitute teachers’ payment for the remaining days will beborne by the Association.C. The Association shall have in each building the exclusive use of a bulletin board in theteachers’ lounge to be provided by the School District.D. 1) The Board agrees to deduct from the salaries of teachers who are members of theAssociation the amount authorized by the individual member according to the kind ofmembership he/she specifies.2) The Association shall assume responsibility for submitting signed dues deductionauthorization forms (See Appendix 1) to the Payroll Department on or before October 1.3) Dues deductions shall be divided equally among pay periods beginning with thesecond pay period in October and continuing through the following May 30.Page 3
After the commencement of the school year, those teachers newly employed in the District andthose returning from leaves shall be eligible for payroll deduction of Association dues. Theperiod of eligibility shall be for thirty (30) days from the return to or commencement of work.Such dues shall be deducted in payments divided equally over the pay periods remaining andcontinuing through the following May 30.4) The Board agrees to remit such dues within five (5) working days of the deduction to theperson designated in writing by the Association and upon such payment and remittance, theBoard shall be released from any liability for the application of such monies. The Board shall notbe liable for the remittance or payment of any sums other than those constituting deductions dulyauthorized in accordance with this Section by Association members. The Board assumes noliability for the authenticity of any dues deduction authorization provided to it.5) All employees who are members of the Association on the effective date of this agreement orwho thereafter during its term become members of the Association shall maintain theirmembership in the Association for the term of this agreement, provided, however, that any suchemployee may resign from membership in the Association during a period of fifteen (15) daysprior to the expiration of this agreement.E. 1) When requested, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall meet with therepresentatives of the Association at least twice per month to discuss matters of educationalconcern. The meetings shall be scheduled at mutually agreeable times. The representativesshall number no more than five (5).2) When requested, the principal of each school shall meet with the representatives of theAssociation at least twice per month to discuss school operations and questions relating to theimplementation of this contract. The meetings shall be scheduled after regular school hours.The representatives shall number no more than five (5). This Section will not prohibitmeetings with the principal during school hours in emergency situations.F. l) The Association shall be given a place on the agenda of the Orientation Program for NewTeachers.2) The Association shall be given a place on the agenda of the first General Meeting ofTeachers for a brief address.G. 1) The Association shall be allowed to use the facilities of the interschool mail system inaccordance with the practices, procedures and schedules of said system which is subject tochange from time to time.2) The Association shall limit such use up to three (3) envelopes not exceeding 14” x 16” perschool per week. The Board shall assume no financial or legal responsibility for loss ordamage to Association mail and the Association agrees that no condition or situation relativeto the inter-school mail facility shall be subject to the Grievance Procedure.Page 4
H. 1) It is agreed that after the Board and/or the Administration has determined that achange is to be made in educational textbooks, educational programs, educationalmaterials, educational equipment or curriculum, teacher committees orteacher-administrator committees shall be established by the Board. When suchcommittees are established, the committees shall be made up of teachers who will beaffected by the changes. Teachers shall be given the opportunity to apply forparticipation on such committees. After all teachers’ applications are received, theAssociation will select one-half of the participants on the committees.2) If the Board or the Administration determines it is necessary for the committee tomeet at times other than normal school hours, teacher participants will be paid at theestablished hourly rate. A teacher-administrator committee shall be defined as acommittee of teachers and administrators employed in the Erie School District.Page 5
ARTICLE IVCOMPENSATION AND EXPENSESA.The basic annual salaries for teachers as agreed to by the parties for the 2019-2020through 2020-2021 school years are as shown in Appendices 2 - 3Effective with the 2020-2021 school year, the salary schedule shall be compacted one step asreflected in the attached schedules.For 2020-2021, the Association and the District agree to re-open negotiations for salary only. Itis understood by both parties that the minimum increase for 2020-2021 is 2.5%.Effective with the 2019-2020 School year, the currently employed school psychologists will beplaced on the teacher salary schedule as follows and will advance one step each subsequent yearuntil they reach the top step:Effective with the 2019-2020 school year, the salary schedule shall include school psychologistsas reflected in the attached schedules.1-5 yearsStep 116-10 yearsStep 1211-15 yearsStep 1316-20 yearsStep 1421 yearsStep 1522 yearsStep 1623 yearsStep 1724 yearsStep 18All newly hired school psychologists will be placed at Step 8 and advance one step eachsubsequent year.B.Salary Adjustments for Additional Earned CreditsTeachers earning credits in an accredited Master’s Degree Program, Master’s Equivalent, orVocational Master’s Equivalent Program, will be paid for every six (6) graduate credits up to amaximum of thirty (30) credits at the annual rate reflected by the columns in the salary schedulesin Appendices 2-3. These amounts are shown on the Bachelors Pay Group.Vocational credits will be paid on the basis of the regulations for certification for vocationalPage 6
education published by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Upon completion of aprogram of study leading to a Master’s Degree, Master’s Equivalent, or Vocational Master’sEquivalent, certified by the granting institution, the employee will be placed on the Master’s PayGroup and shall receive an earned credit adjustment as reflected in the columns in the salaryschedules in Appendices 2-3.Teachers earning credits beyond a Master’s Pay Group shall receive for every six (6) credits upto a maximum of sixty (60) credits the annual rate reflected in the columns in Appendices 2-3.All of the above earned credits are reflected in Appendices 2-3.Such post-Master’s Degree credits must be approved in advance by a committee on approvalcomprised of six (6) members, three (3) to be chosen by the EEA and three (3) to be chosen bythe Board. Credits beyond the Master’s Degree must carry at least a “C” or equivalent grade forsalary purposes.Only one Master’s Program will be accepted for entry into the Pay Program.The Master’s Equivalency Degree which must be certified by the Bureau of Certification in thePennsylvania State Department of Education will be recognized at the Master’s Pay Group levelfor salary reclassification.All adjustments to salary as a result of additional college courses shall be effective at thebeginning of each semester immediately following the date of the completion of the courses. Inorder to be eligible, teachers shall notify the Personnel Office on a form which will be availablein the office of each supervisor or school, within the first five (5) school days of each schoolsemester with validation of successful completion within 120 calendar days of that semester. Ifnotification is not made to the Personnel Office within the first five (5) school days asprescribed, salary adjustments shall not be effective until the following semester.C.Longevity Payments1) Each teacher who, between the dates of September 1 and October 1, has completed at least20 but less than 25 years of service, all of which service shall have been performed in and forthe School District of the City of Erie, shall receive in June, a longevity payment of 300 inaddition to his regular established salary. Each teacher who, between the dates of September 1and October 1, has completed at least 25 but less than 30 years of service, all of which serviceshall have been performed in and for the School District of the City of Erie, shall receive inJune, a longevity payment of 400 in addition to his/her regular established salary. Each teacherwho, between the dates of September 1 and October 1, has completed 30 or more years ofservice, all of which service shall have been performed in and for the School District of the Cityof Erie, shall receive in June, a longevity payment of 500 in addition to his/her regularestablished salary. Provided, however, the longevity payment set forth in this Subsection shallonly be paid in the case where the teacher has worked the full work year.2) These payments will be made a part of the regular established salary. It is understood thatPage 7
the longevity payments provided for in this Section supersede any prior longevity schedule,policy, or practice.D. Unused Sick PayA teacher who retires from teaching in the Erie School District shall be paid for his/herunused accumulated sick days at the rate of 100.00 per day with unlimitedaccumulation, provided the District is notified by letter to the Personnel Department atleast ninety (90) days prior to July 1 of the planned retirement occurring during thefollowing school year. In any event, the teacher shall be paid an amount of not less than 500.If the employee does not apply by July 1, he/she will not receive payment for unusedsick days or Early Retirement Incentive until July of the following year.In the event of the death of the retiree, the balance of the amount due will be paid to theretiree’s beneficiary or estate each July in the same yearly amount being paid the retiree.E. 1) A teacher who is required to use his/her own automobile in pursuance of assignedschool duties shall be reimbursed at the going Internal Revenue Service rate.2) Teachers who must drive a relatively short distance may elect to receive ten times theper mile rate per day for travel expenses or the per mile rate per day whichever isgreater.3) Payment for mileage reimbursement will be paid in December and June.F. In case of an assault on a teacher in the performance of his/her duties during the course ofhis/her employment causing damage to his/her personal property such as his/her clothingand where such damage is verified by the Principal, the Board shall make an equitablefinancial adjustment with the teacher within sixty (60) days.G. In case of vandalism or theft of a teacher’s personal property occurring on school groundsduring the course of his/her employment and in the performance of his/her duties andverified by the Principal, the Board shall make an equitable financial adjustment withthe teacher within sixty (60) days. The parties’ Memorandum of Agreement of April,1991 which is set forth as an appendix, shall govern the application of this paragraph.H. The Board agrees to make payroll deductions for teacher United Fund contributions.I. The Board agrees to make Credit Union deductions at no cost to the teacher.J. Salaries for Extra-Curricular Activities1) Any professional who has been involved in an extra-curricular activity shall be placedon the extra-curricular activities salary schedule on the appropriate step for the specificactivity. Any payment for an extra-curricular activity shall be distinct from and not aPage 8
part of the professional’s regular established salary and shall be paid in a separate check.Payment for the extra-curricular activity shall be in two equal payments, the firstpayment prior to Christmas and the second payment at the end of the school year. Thesalary schedule for extra-curricular activities is shown in Appendix 6.2) The Board will determine the number and kind of athletic and extra-curricularactivities to be carried on as separate programs which are not necessarily a part of thenormal school activities. These activities are not considered a part of the standardservices furnished by teachers. In the event that teachers are utilized to conduct athleticor extra-curricular activities as noted above, the additional stipend to be paid for suchextra services by teachers shall be as set forth in Appendix 6.3) The Board and the Association agree that when new athletic or extra-curricularactivities are implemented, the salary for these activities will be negotiated by the Boardand the Association.4) Teachers’ participation in extra-curricular activities shall be strictly voluntary, andnon-participation in such activity shall not be a valid item for teacher-evaluatingpurposes.5) There are no team leaders. If such are authorized, their rate of pay will be negotiatedin accordance with paragraph J-3 above.6) There shall be one (1) additional football coach for each of the four (4) high schoolsfor a total of six (6) coaches.K. Coaching SalariesA coach shall be placed at the appropriate step on the coaching salary schedulecommensurate with his/her years of coaching experience in that sport. Any payment forcoaching shall be distinct from and not a part of the professional’s regular establishedsalary and shall be paid in a separate check. Payment for activities which begin and endin one semester shall be paid at the end of the season or the semester, whichever comesfirst; payment for activities which take place during the second semester shall be paid atthe end of the activity or the end of the school year, whichever comes first. An assistantcoach who becomes head of a sport for which the professional has held an assistantcoaching position shall be placed on the head coach salary step which reflects the nexthigher step of the professional’s present or past assistant coach’s salary. A professionalwho directs intramural sports activities shall be given credit on the coaching salaryschedule for all his/her prior years in that sport season of intramural experience. In allcases such experience need not be continuous to receive proper credit.Any head coach or assistant coach who engages in playoff competition beyond Metrocompetition shall be paid one hundred dollars ( 100) for each such level (District,Region, State) as approved by the Erie School District. The salary schedule for coachingactivities is shown in Appendix 5.Page 9
L. Teachers in the bargaining unit shall be given the opportunity to select individuallywhether they would prefer to receive their salary in twenty-six (26) equal pay periodsduring the school year or twenty-two (22) pay periods. If the teacher decides to selectother than the twenty-six (26) pay periods, he/she shall notify the District in writingprior to September 1 of each school year.M. If a substitute teacher is hired to teach for a semester in the Erie School District, he/sheshall receive a substitute contract with full salary and salary-related fringe benefitscommensurate with years of service and preparation.Furloughed teachers shall have the first option to accept any available substitute workfor which they are qualified based on their seniority ranking. They shall be paid at theirper diem rate based on their placement as if they were re-employed full time. Once suchfurloughed employees have completed thirty (30) days of service in a given year, theywill receive full fringe benefits as permitted by law or an equivalent dollar amount at theoption of the teacher.N. The professional hourly rate for assignments such as Summer School, Driver Education,Evening School, etc., involving bargaining unit members will be paid for at the rate of 31.94.The positions in these kinds of programs will be opened to bargaining unit employeesprior to being open to persons outside the unit. These positions will be posted andawarded to the most senior certified applicants.O. The vocational shop teacher may contact the Director of Vocational Education directlyfor repairs and/or supplies when these are needed sooner than they could be obtainedthrough normal requisition procedures. Such requests will be filled as soon as possibleup to a maximum of five hundred dollars ( 500) per year per shop from its currentbudget.P. The Medical Services Department shall be allotted an additional one hundred and fiftydollars ( 150) each fiscal year for the purchase of additional professional publicationsfor school nurses. The nurses shall determine which publications will be purchased.Q. Additional Adjustments to Salary1) For any school year in which a teacher has achieved, and maintains, National BoardCertification for the entire school year, he/she shall receive 2,000 added to base salary.2) For any school year, or part thereof, following the initial year of such assignment inwhich a teacher is assigned without interruption to alternative education, the TransitionProgram, or the Peace Program, he/she shall receive the following additions to basesalary:Second year of assignment:Third year of assignment: 500 1,000Page 10
Fourth and subsequent years of assignment: 1,500This addition shall be paid to those newly assigned to such duties as well as thosealready in such assignment.3) An employee who adds a certification in reading, math, science shall receive a 500one-time payment. If the employee is subsequently assigned to teach in the area of thenew certification, he/she shall receive a 500 addition to base salary for any school year,or part thereof, in which he/she teaches in the additional certification area. Neither theone-time payment, nor the salary addition, however, shall be paid to any teacher whoacquires or uses an additional certification in order to remain, as a result of regulatoryrequirements, in a current assignment.ARTICLE VTEACHING DAYS AND HOURSA. When the regular school calendar is being formulated, the Superintendent shall invite thePresident of the Association or his/her designee to discuss them.B. The work year shall include the following:Number of DaysEvent or Activity1Preparation Day Beginning School Year (At leastone-half of such day must be assigned for use by theteacher for in-building preparation).1Recording and Reporting Day between Semesters.1Technology professional development, to be scheduledduring the work year with the agenda determined by theSuperintendent after consultation with AssociationPresident.In the event that these activities are reduced or eliminated, the above days may be usedfor teaching, in-service, or parent conferences.C. The normal work year shall be 187 days plus four hours. The normal work year for2016-17 shall be 186 days and upon ratification of the contract the additional fourSOAR hours or portion still left shall be discontinued. The normal work year for2017-18 and subsequent years shall be 185 days with no SOAR hours. The normal workyear shall exclude as a minimum the following days:Number of Days2HolidayLabor Day (Friday, Monday)Page 11
371113Thanksgiving (Thursday, Friday, Monday)Christmas (at least from December 24 through January 1)Martin Luther King DayMemorial DaySpring Day (February, March)Easter (Thursday, Friday, Monday)Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prohibit the Board from offering to anindividual teacher a work year extending beyond the prescribed number of days.Compensation for such additional time shall be paid on the basis of the teacher’s thencurrent annual salary divided by the number of days in the work year.Guidance Counselors shall work two (2) extra days each year compensated at their perdiem rate. These days shall occur one (1) day prior to the reporting of teachers andone (1) day subsequent to the classroom teachers’ final day.For the 2017-18 school year and subsequent school years, one in-service day and onerecording day at the end of the school year will be eliminated.D. 1) In the normal discharge of their teaching responsibilities, preparation is required ofteachers to be done in their own homes.2) For income tax purposes, the Board shall issue a written statement to each teacherattesting to this.E. l) The work day for teachers shall be a continuous work day and will not begin before8:00 a.m. nor end later than 4:00 p.m., including employees who have voluntarily agreedupon alternative schedules under this section. Where specific programs are authorizedby the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the starting or ending time may bechanged by the Board.The total regular work day shall average seven (7) hours and ten (10) minutes, inclusiveof lunch periods, instructional periods, preparation and/or planning periods, and restbreaks where applicable. The length of individual work days for individual employees orgroups of employees can vary for different days, and from building to building, providedthat over the course of the entire school year, the total work time does not exceed sevenhours and ten minutes times the number of days in the work year, and so long as the8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. time limits are not exceeded. Alternative schedules, when theyexist, may be established at any time by voluntary agreement of the affected teachers andthe building principal. Such agreements will expire at the end of the year, unless renewedor otherwise agreed upon. Alternative schedules with work days other than seven (7)hours and ten (10) minutes will not be used if the Association objects to the schedule, orfor courses of instruction or student disciplinary programsPage 12
2) Teachers shall have a duty-free lunch period for at least thirty (30) minutes. Duty-freeshall be considered to mean without any responsibility to assist in the passage of studentsfrom one place to another or being required to remain on the school premises.F. Teachers shall be available after regular sessions and for one-half (1/2) hour per week forspecial help to students. The day for this one-half (1/2) hour shall be chosen by theteacher, but shall not be a Friday unless expressly authorized by the principal. Theprincipal shall have the discretion to require the day designated by the teacher to berescheduled if necessary to accommodate the needs of specific parents or students. Eachteacher shall attend his/her school’s Annu
OF THE CITY OF ERIE, PA . AND THE . ERIE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION . JULY 1, 2019- JUNE 30, 2021 . Non Discrimination Policy . The Erie School District does not discriminate in employment, educational programs or activities, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or because a person is a disabled veteran or veteran of the .
